Midtown Phoenix is no longer a canyon of far-from-full office towers built more than three decades ago.

The area that businesses moved away from in the late 1990s is now drawing start-ups and big companies that want to be near light rail, new restaurants, apartments, redeveloped buildings and revived historic neighborhoods.

But one big piece or parcel was missing in midtown Phoenix's comeback – the redevelopment of Park Central – the city's first mall that's located in the middle of the area.

Several developers failed in attempts to buy the once iconic shopping center on Central Avenue between Thomas and Osborn roads, but a group that redeveloped another old Valley mall finally succeeded in 2017.

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Nebraska-based Creighton University has announced that it will open a four-year medical school in Arizona as part of a $100 million expansion into midtown Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000-square-foot building that will consist of a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school, and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey speaks Sept. 18, 2018, at the Phoenix Art Museum about Nebraska-based Creighton University's announcement that it will open a four-year medical school in Arizona as part of a $100 million expansion into midtown Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000-square-foot building that will consist of a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school, and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

Sharon Harper greets Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey during the press conference at Phoenix Art Museum on Sept. 18, 2019, on Creighton University's plan to open a $100 million health sciences campus at Park Central in Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000 square foot building that will include a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey speaks to the media Sept. 18, 2018, at the Phoenix Art Museum about Nebraska-based Creighton University's announcement that it will open a four-year medical school in Arizona as part of a $100 million expansion into midtown Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000-square-foot building that will consist of a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school, and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

The Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, president of Creighton University, speaks Sept. 18, 2018, at the Phoenix Art Museum about Nebraska-based Creighton University's announcement that it will open a four-year medical school in Arizona as part of a $100 million expansion into midtown Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000-square-foot building that will consist of a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school, and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza, Nick Oza/The Republic

The Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, president of Creighton University, attends the press conference at the Phoenix Art Museum on Sept. 18, 2018, about Nebraska-based Creighton opening a four-year medical school in Arizona as part of a $100 million expansion into midtown Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000-square-foot building that will consist of a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school, and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

A press conference at Phoenix Art Museum on Sept. 18, 2019, is held to announce Creighton University's plan to open a $100 million health sciences campus at Park Central in Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000 square foot building that will include a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

A press conference at Phoenix Art Museum on Sept. 18, 2019, is held to announce Creighton University's plan to open a $100 million health sciences campus at Park Central in Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000 square foot building that will include a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

A press conference at Phoenix Art Museum on Sept. 18, 2019, is held to announce Creighton University's plan to open a $100 million health sciences campus at Park Central in Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000 square foot building that will include a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

A press conference at Phoenix Art Museum on Sept. 18, 2019, is held to announce Creighton University's plan to open a $100 million health sciences campus at Park Central in Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000 square foot building that will include a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

A press conference at Phoenix Art Museum on Sept. 18, 2019, is held to announce Creighton University's plan to open a $100 million health sciences campus at Park Central in Phoenix. Phase One of the project will include a 200,000 square foot building that will include a four-year medical school, nursing school, occupational and physical therapy schools, pharmacy school, physician assistant school and emergency medical services program. Nick Oza/The Republic

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Future new developments at Park Central could include more residential high-rises, a hotel and senior housing.

"Park Central was the perfect property to redevelop in central Phoenix, but for many years none of us could figure out how to make it happen," said Sharon Harper, CEO of Plaza Cos., which is partnering with Holualoa Cos. on the 450,000-square-foot project. "It wasn't easy, but we have had a lot of support from the city and neighbors."

Plaza and Holualoa, which redeveloped the rundown south Scottsdale mall Los Arcos into the Skysong ASU Innovation project, were able to strike a deal to buy Park Central for about $50 million through two real estate sales, according to real estate records.

Earlier this month, the "Front Porch" outdoor dining area of Park Central facing Central opened. It's the start of a new look for the former mall.

"The Front Porch is going to be a defining part of this project," said Stan Shafer, chief operating officer for Holualoa.

He said the outdoor setting will create a spot for the community to come together.

Preserving Phoenix history

Park Central opened in 1957 on 57 acres that had been home to a dairy farm. In the 1970s and 80s, the mall was home to major department stores including Goldwaters, Diamond's and Dillard's.

But the exodus of homeowners to Valley suburbs and companies to Phoenix's Camelback Corridor and farther out drained midtown of residents and employers. By the late 1990s, the last department store had closed.

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Cowboy Ciao, an Old Town Scottsdale fixture known for its kitschy cowboy decor, modern American menu and extensive wine list, closed in October 2018. The 21-year-old restaurant's last dinner service was Oct. 15, according to a Facebook post. The sudden closure is not the first drama in the restaurant's history. In 2012 and again in 2017, owner Peter Kasperski filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy under Cowboy Ciao LLC. In both cases, he said filing for bankruptcy would allow him to reorganize the business' debts. The Republic

For 90 years, Sing High Chop Suey House was a fixture of downtown Phoenix. Opened by chef and owner Fred Lee in 1928, the Chinese restaurant had served old-school Cantonese-American cuisine to generations of migrant workers, families and business people — even well-known Arizona politicians such as former Gov. Rose Mofford and the late Sen. John McCain. The menu hadn't changed much through the years, but the restaurant moved twice since opening. On Sept. 30, 2018, Sing High and the Lee family served their last meal at the current location at 27 W. Madison St. But this time, there are no plans to relocate. The Republic

IOWA CAFE: The Iowa Cafe, a Mesa dining institution since 1985, closed June 5, 2018. Pam Ohsman, the last in the casual restaurant’s series of owners, decided to hang up her apron. Ohsman says there is an interested party who is considering carrying on the Iowa Cafe’s tradition in a new location. The Republic

ED DEBEVIC'S: Ed Debevic's was another family favorite, near 20th Street and Highland Avenue. Sassy waitresses served burgers and meatloaf at the retro-style diner through the '80s and '90s. The jukebox, photos and snarky neon signs went to auction when the diner closed in the early 2000s. Jack Kurtz/The Republic

CHOCOLATES BY BERNARD CALLEBAUT: Master chocolatier Bernard Callebaut first brought his exquisite confections to Arizona in 1996, when he opened a store in Scottsdale's Hilton Village. More Valley stores followed. The Chandler store closed in 2004, and the rest of the chocolates began to disappear from Arizona. Emmanuel Lozano/The Republic

SCOTTSDALE 6 DRIVE-IN: This drive-in was demolished in 2014, years after it shut down. It was the latest in a string of drive-in movie theatres to close, the result of changing habits and tastes among movie-goers. The Phoenix area used to be dotted with the outdoor screens. A partial list of names: Big Sky, Pioneer, Nu View and the Thunderbird. One drive-in theater still exists: The WestWind Glendale 9 on 55th Avenue, south of Bethany Home Road. David Kadlubowski/The Republic

VIDEO PARADISE: Video Paradise, at Alma School and Warner roads in Chandler, is from a bygone era, when video stores were a hot weekend stop for people of all ages and the wait for a new release created some buzz. It closed at the end of January 2016 after 25 years, according to the owner. Chris Coppola

MY FLORIST: This bakery, sandwich shop and wine bar was one of the first of the new wave of restaurants in the central Phoenix area when it opened in 1996. It offered a pricey, but delicious, peanut butter sandwich and offered a white wine with which to pair it. The piano performances by Nicole Pesce would delight crowds. It closed suddenly in 2010. More eateries had filed into downtown by then. The iconic sign was left over from when the building did house a florist beginning in 1947. Below it now is a chain hamburger restaurant. The Republic

DOWNTOWN DELI : A longtime fixture in downtown Phoenix, the Downtown Deli shuttered its doors on May 22, 2015. The deli was known for its Skyscraper sandwich with corned beef piled high with pastrami and Swiss cheese. Glenn Schultz, who owned the deli with wife Trish, said the landlord raised the rent, forcing the business to close. But, there's hope. Schultz said they're hoping to relocate the business somewhere else downtown. Downtown Deli

BIG APPLE: Bill Johnson's Big Apple, a 59-year icon at 3757 E. Van Buren St., closed May 24, 2015. The Phoenix restaurant was the last remaining in a chain that once had seven locations. The eatery was known for its Western decor and sawdust on the floor. The waitresses wore cowboy hats on their heads and toy six-shooters on their hips. Michael Chow/The Republic

HARKINS CAMELVIEW 5: After a 42-year run as one of the Valley's preeminent movie theaters, Harkins Camelview 5 in Scottsdale closed in December 2015, replaced by a new 14-screen cinema next door at Scottsdale Fashion Square mall. Harkins announced plans in 2013 to close Camelview, which long ago carved a niche in the Phoenix area as a destination for independent, foreign and artistic films. The Republic

GUEDO'S CANTINA GRILLE: A popular taco shop that operated in downtown Chandler for 30 years closed in December 2015 after being acquired by a firm that plans to bring a new residential and retail development to the site.
Guedo's Cantina Grille's longtime owner, William "Guedo'' Samora III, confirmed the property had been acquired by COR Arizona Avenue Company LLC. The developer has been working for several years to bring the new mixed-use development to the corner, which is mostly vacant and includes a parcel of city-owned property that Chandler officials have sought to have developed. Weldon B. Johnson/The Republic

LEGEND CITY: The memories of this amusement park are better than the reality. Envisioned as an Old West theme park, it quickly devolved into a carnival on an asphalt lot. The economic reality was it was too hot for an amusement parks during Phoenix summers and winter evenings didn’t generate enough business. The Republic

A-1 BEER: There was a time when every city had its own breweries, and A-1 was the major player in Phoenix. It was later bought by a larger national brewery and the quality slipped a bit. If you remembered the brand from the 50s, when it was the “Western way to say welcome,” you thought of a crisp pilsner. Those who remember the canned beer from the 70s, have less fond memories. David Wallace/The Republic

BLAKELY'S: Blakely's was a string of service stations through the Phoenix area. Attendants in white uniforms would pump gas, fill up tires and check oil. Patrons were either given a free glass, or a receipt slip that could be saved and redeemed for dinnerware. The glasses, which were painted with cactuses, have become collectibles. The chain started in 1937. It was bought by Gulf Oil in 1963. The Republic

KARSH'S BAKERY: This venerable kosher bakery fell victim to the times. It could not compete with high volume bakeries and increasing rents. It closed in March 2014, ending nearly 50 years in business. On its last day, there were lines around the block. Owners said at the time they hoped to find a smaller, more affordable location and re-open. Stacie Scott/The Republic

HANNY'S: Back when Phoenix residents went downtown to buy clothes, this was one of the department stores of choice. Shopping districts moved to malls and power centers in farther-flung areas. Hanny’s sturdy concrete structure stood vacant for years. The fire department would set it on fire for structure practice. But it has been reinvented and occupied as a wine bar and restaurant since 2008. Patrons can stand over the old elevator shaft. Names of clothing brands still decorate the walls. Markow Photography

CINE CAPRI: This single-screen theater was still viable. But the real estate it was on was eyed for redevelopment. Responding to an outcry from the community, developers tried to incorporate a Cine Capri-like theater into plans for high-rise office buildings. But negotiations soured. There was talk of putting the fate of the corner on the city ballot. The land owners announced plans to demolish the theater, effectively ending the arguments. Harkins Theaters has replicated the large screen curtained experience in two multiplex locations. The Republic

MONTI'S LA CASA VIEJA: Tempe's iconic Monti's La Casa Vieja, among the longest-lasting restaurants in the city and which was housed in the historic Hayden House on Mill Avenue, closed on Nov. 17, 2014, after nearly 60 years in business. Michael Monti

BAKER NURSERY: Baker Nursery opened in 1968. Employees helped landscape countless Phoenix-area homes. And provided a bit of free gardening advice or whimsey with rotating series of signs along 40th Street. In 2006, the namesake signed the business over to his daughters, who closed it in late 2014. The Republic

DOWNTOWN DELI : A longtime fixture in downtown Phoenix, the Downtown Deli shuttered its doors on May 22, 2015. The deli was known for its Skyscraper sandwich with corned beef piled high with pastrami and Swiss cheese. Glenn Schultz, who owned the deli with wife Trish, said the landlord raised the rent, forcing the business to close. But, there's hope. Schultz said they're hoping to relocate the business somewhere else downtown. Downtown Deli

PINNACLE PEAK PATIO: Pinnacle Peak Patio in Scottsdale closed on June 28, 2015. Generations of visitors, hankering for an Old West experience, set foot in the dusty wooden establishment, known for its 2-pound porterhouse steaks and of neckties hanging from the ceiling. Michael Schennum/The Republic

HENKEL AG: Henkel, parent company of the Dial Corp., announced in October 2016 that it was shuttering its Scottsdale, Arizona, offices. The company said it would combine the operation with Sun Products Corp., which Henkel acquired in June 2016. Both companies were planned to move to a facility in Stamford, Conn.
Arizona lost roughly 375 jobs.
Henkel acquired the Dial Corp., formally one of Arizona's largest corporations, in December 2004 for $2.9 billion. John Samora/The Republic

Dairy Queen at 629 E. Main St. has closed on May 4, 2018, in Mesa. The Dairy Queen was built in 1949. A neon sign was placed atop the building sometime in the 1950s, Vic Linoff, a Mesa preservationist, estimates. The city's stretch of Main Street is home to several landmark neon signs, including the Starlite Motel's diving lady, restored in 2013, and the massive sign in front of Buckhorn Baths, a now-closed motel from a bygone era. Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Those stores, or at least their names, will be part of the redevelopment. Buildings will be named after some the families associated with the mall.

"This project is a prime example of how we can repurpose old properties and modernize them without starting over from scratch," said Bob Goldwater, whose family owned the former Goldwaters department stores.

Harper said there is a "treasure trove" of news clippings, old photos, clothes, signs and antiques in the basements of the former stores. Arizona State University is helping the developers preserve the memorabilia.

The new Park Central

The redevelopment phase of Park Central is scheduled to be done by year-end.

Creighton is scheduled to move in by 2021. The apartments will likely open around the same time.

If you want a sneak preview of some of Park Central's renovations, Arizona Citizens for the Arts will announce the finalists for its 2019 competition at the new outdoor venue on Feb. 8.

For art lovers who can't make the event, works from local artists will regularly be on display at the venue as well as in the basement and first floor of one of the former department stores.

If you want to grab coffee, a meal or a drink after perusing the exhibits, there are more places to pick from at Park Central now.